Makoshika State
Park is located in the rugged badlands of eastern Montana in Glendive.
The name Makoshika (Ma-ko'-shi-ka) is a variant of a Lakota phrase meaning
land of bad spirits or badlands. Although the area resembles
the badlands of the Dakotas, these badlands expose older rock layers.
Since Lee and Karen Duquette had just finished exploring Theodore Roosevelt
National Park which is not that far away, they expected Makoshika State
Park to be similar but they soon realized that Makoshika State Park's
beautiful terrain is quite unique! They really loved it here. |
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| Makoshika
State Park "(ma-KO-sh(ih)kuh" from
Sioux Ma-ko-shi-ka or bad earth is the largest of Montana's
state parks at more than 11,000 acres. It is located east of Glendive. The
park contains spectacular badlands which conceal dinosaur fossils. The park
contains rock from the Hell Creek Formation and dinosaurs such as Triceratops
are found there. In 1997 a fossil Thescelosaurus was found at Makoshika.
Birds such as the turkey vultures, prairie falcons and eagles make their
homes here. |
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Below: A closer look at areas shown in the above panorama. |
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Below: A Panorama of another area of Makoshika State Park |
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Below:
The photo is zoomed in on part of the panorama above |
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Below:
Zoomed in on part of the panorama above. |
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Below: Suddenly, the colors of the terrain changed. |
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Below:
Karen and Lee Duquette relaxed at Makoshika State Park in Montana. |
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Below: Driving the road up to the Eyeful Vista area
of Makoshika State Park, Karen Duquette seriously hoped NOT to meet
another car along the way, even though this was not the narrowest or
worst road they have been on.
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Below: Eyeful
Vista area of Makoshika State Park |
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Below: Looking left |
Below: Looking right |
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Below: Lee Duquette drove on
a loop road that turned out to be a rough dirt road and not a place that
Karen Duquette wanted their truck to be in, so they got out of that area
as quickly as they could. |
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Note: Lee and Karen Duquette returned
to Makoshika State Park in 2016 and spent more time in the park and more
pictures of other areas, (6 pages) including the famous Cap Rock Trail.
To see those photos, click
here, but be sure to return to this page to continue with 2012 adventures. |
